Delineating the fish-based ecosystem services of a small tropical Indian estuary: Identification, evaluation and management

Abstract

In this study, we evaluate the fish-based ecosystem services (ES) of Chettuva, a small tropical estuary (CE) on the south-west coast of India. Besides the direct benefits (provisioning and cultural), the primary regulatory and supporting services provided by fish in estuaries were also documented using secondary data and focused group discussions (FGD). The major obstacles impeding the fisheries-based ES were also identified, and priority-based management options were proposed. The annual economic value of the major fish-based ES of the estuary was estimated to be ₹814.55 million (₹36.96 million for provisioning, ₹569.52 million for supporting, ₹177.6 million for regulating and ₹30.47 million for cultural and information services including recreation, tourism, scientific and information services, respectively). The estuarine fishery in CE is still traditional, employing non-motorized boats and supporting the livelihood of about 300 active fishers. Our findings revealed that stakeholders rated higher values on provisioning, supporting, and cultural services while providing little significance on the regulating services. The current findings indicated that, as the primary means of livelihood, fisheries not only provide a pragmatic overview of the economic value of estuarine systems but also signifies the use of fisheries-based ES as a valuable tool in developing an ecosystem-based management plan. Based on the findings, it would be reasonable to highlight the need for ES-based approach for resource conservation in fisheries management of the small tropical estuaries.